Puberty
by penspot
Summary: When the evacuation is over and the Pevensies go back home, Edmund looks in the mirror and finds what every soon-to-be teenager dreads… a zit. Watch the Pevensies go through the horrors of growing up... again. Humor w/sibling fluff
1. NOT AGAIN!

**Puberty**

**A/N: I'm sorry. I was watching Narnia the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and when Aslan crowned Edmund king, I got a brilliant idea. Heh, heh, heh. Just bare with me on this one, it should be good.**

**Summary: When the evacuation is over and the Pevensies go back home, Edmund looks in the mirror and finds what every soon-to-be teenager dreads… a zit.**

Edmund yawned as the bell on his clock started to chime away. He groaned and flipped over, giving the clock a good smack to the floor. It crashed and bounced away, leaving a certain trail of mechanisms as it rolled.

"Rise and shine Ed!" Peter called from outside in the hall. Edmund's eyelids lifted a little and then closed.

"Blasted Peter," he grumbled under his breath and snuggled back into the pillow. _Peter and his early rising. Why can't he be a normal child and sleep in for Aslan's sake. Of course being a king and always being the first to wake up doesn't help my case… but still._

"Edmund!" Peter called and banged on the door. Edmund growled and slid out of his comfortable bed and into his blue slippers. Blindly he reached for a towel that rested on his brother's bedpost, but tripped over his brother's newly bought school books.

"He can never keep this stupid place clean can he?" Ed hissed to himself as he rubbed his aching toe before pushing the books away with the side of his foot and grabbing the towel. He heard another bang on the door and went over to it, flinging it open.

Peter was on the other side, of course, with a triumphant smirk, again of course. "About time you woke up."

"Not now Peter, it's too early," Ed mumbled as he past Peter.

"Early? It's almost noon."

"As I said before… early."

Peter rolled his eyes and looked in the room, finding his books scattered across the floor.

"Did my books do something to make you upset?" Peter asked amused as he began picking them up.

"Yeah, they decided to play cricket practice with my toes," Ed bantered back, still inching his way to the bathroom.

"No reason to kick them, Ed."

"Then try to keep your bloody side of the room clean!" he called back.

"Language, Edmund!" his mum called from downstairs. Ed rolled his eyes and continued down the hall. Of course he wasn't really angry with Peter over a little thing like books, but he still has to act like a little brother, and complaining was just one of the many perks that came with his wonderful job.

Ed made his way to the bathroom and went up to the mirror that hung over the sink. It was new since their old one crashed during the bomb raids. Ed rubbed his eyes, but stopped in mid-yawn to stare at the window.

_Did someone put a trick mirror in here_? _That can't possibly be- no it couldn't be._

"Very funny Pete!" Ed yelled and wiped at the mirror. After a series of blinks he frowned and scrubbed at the mirror harder with his thumb. But it still remained. _No! No! No! No! No!_

Now what is this mysterious object that Edmund is freaking out over? Well, if you don't get it from the title or the summary, you are truly dense. For in fact, this mysterious object was a blemish, but not just any type of blemish like freckles or a scab, but a zit. A very big, bubbly, cherry-red zit.

"No! Aslan, not again!" he shouted, pushing a lock of his hair away to get a better look at said zit. "Wasn't one time enough?" he muttered sourly.

Peter walked in. "What are you yelling about Edmund?"

Edmund turned and pointed to the large red pimple that was embedded in his forehead. Peter's hand flew to his mouth, trying his best to stifle a laugh. Edmund frowned.

"You think this is funny?"

"Ed, I-"

"My life is about to plummet downhill and all you can do is laugh at your little brother," Ed accused.

"I wasn't doing that-"

"Don't lie to me! King Edmund the _Just_, remember? I can sniff a lie from a league away?"

"Ed-"

"What's all the commotion in here?" Lucy asked as she pushed her way into the bathroom. Her eyes targeted the zit, causing her to gasp.

"And Lucy too! Fine! I'll just go to a circus show if you'll all have it like that!" Edmund flung his arms up.

"Edmund, you've been through this before. You're not going to die from one zit," Peter reassured him, trying his best to hold back his laughter. Lucy, on the other hand, wasn't doing so well. Her giggles squeaked every few seconds, making it sound like she had hiccups.

Now to explain this to many of you out there, Lucy and Peter are not trying to be mean to their brother. It's just the fact that this reaction is almost the same as when he went through puberty in Narnia. Que flashback.

_Edmund stood rigid in his chambers of Cair Paravel, eyes fixed on the glass mirror that rested by his wardrobe._

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" the scream echoed all the way to the western wood._

_Peter ran in, his crown lopsided and his face in horror. Rhindon was drawn and ready to defend his little brother._

"_Edmund! What's wrong?"_

"_I don't know!" Edmund shouted and started freaking out. Peter sheathed his sword and ran to Edmund._

"_Calm down!" Ed took a deep breath and covered his face with his hand. "Now what's wrong?"_

"_I-I don't know! I think a bug crawled into my skin while I was sleeping or something."_

_Peter looked his brother over and frowned. "I don't see anything."_

"_It's on my forehead," Edmund said weakly, pointing where his other hand rested. Peter tried to move it, but Ed kept a firm clench over his face._

"_Ed, if you don't move your hand, I can't see what you're screaming about."_

"_No."_

"_Move your bloody hand, Ed!" Peter demanded and tried wrenching the hand away. Unfortunately his brother was a little stronger then he let on, or it was the adrenaline… that is still undecided._

_Peter put his hands up in surrender, an evil gleam passing his face. "Fine," he smirked, "if that's the case-" Peter turned around and started leaving. Something was wrong, and Edmund knew it. Still holding his hand to his face, Edmund sat up and looked at his older brother._

"_What're you on about?"_

_Peter turned back, the smirk still glued to his face. "Nothing," he said innocently. A bit too innocently. Before Edmund could react, Peter was gone and he heard the word that sent shudders down his spine._

"_LUUCY!" Peter hollered. (You can totally tell they are still kids right now. *evil laugh*)_

_Edmund blanched and stared at the door. He could hear her tiny footsteps from floors away._

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. _'No! No! No! Not Lucy!'

_The door swung open again and in ran the little eleven year old, golden hair bouncing and a joyful smile stretching her lips._

"_No you don't! No!" Edmund howled, but Lucy was already on top of him, tickling his sides while Peter watched from a distance. Edmund laughed and shouted, squirmed and struggled, but Lucy wouldn't get off. Finally he had to use both hands to push her off of him, when Peter struck and held down his hands. The red bubble stuck out on Ed's pale skin like the Japanese flag._

"_Ed, is that a zit?" Peter chuckled. Lucy got off and allowed Edmund's hand to swing back up on his forehead. _

"_So what if it is?" Edmund asked a little hotter than he intended. Peter and Lucy did not pay too much attention to his tone, but to the red blush his face started turning with embarrassment._

_Peter sat down next to his brother and looked at Lucy. "Hey Lu, could you go and get healer Iris?"_

"_Sure, Peter," Lucy giggled before she skipped off. Peter looked at his little brother and sighed._

"_This would've been a lot less embarrassing if you had just let me see it when I asked," Peter pointed out._

"_Yeah, I realize that," Edmund mumbled._

"_Alright, now let me see it." Peter moved closer and lifted Ed's ace to the sunlight entering his room. "Ed, it doesn't look that bad."_

"_That bad? It looks like a stuck myself in the face with my sword!"_

"_You never really cared about your looks before," Peter chuckled._

"_I wasn't a king before." Ed flopped back, hands back to his face. "This is so stupid."_

"_It's all a part of growing up, Ed. I've had to deal with them before too."_

"_Yeah," Edmund said glumly. "I remember teasing you about your face when I was such a little beast."_

"_Peter? What's this I hear about Edmund having a zit?" Susan asked as she walked in, but was then pushed aside by Lucy with Healer Iris. The dryad moved forward and looked down at Edmund._

"_Your majesty, I must ask you to remove your hand," she said gently. Edmund glanced at his older brother, who gave him a nod, and removed his hand._

_After a few seconds the dryad giggled and stepped back. "Tis only a harmless blemish of the skin, Sire. A cordial of sweetwater and elm leaves and continual washing of your face would clear that up."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Positive. I'll have the cordial ready for you before you can say Great Lion." Iris swept out of the room leaving the royal siblings alone._

"_See Ed, you were making a mountain out of a molehill," Peter continued._

"_Was he worrying about a little zit? Ed I swear, you can be such a drama queen," said Susan, Lucy giggling, and Edmund's face blush a deep red._

*End Flashback*

"That's what I'm talking about! I've already been through this before. The blemishes, the voice cracking—and now I have to go through all of that again!"

"What on Earth-" Susan walked in the bathroom, a hairbrush still in her raven hair.

"That's it!" Edmund pointed to the door. "Everybody ou-" Suddenly his voice cracked, his hands immediately slapping over his mouth.

"Awe, Edmund," said Susan, finally understanding the dilemma.

"Ed, you're not alone in this," said Peter. "We would all love to go back to our grown up selves. But Aslan wants us to grow up on Earth for some reason."

"He knows what he's doing," Lucy added.

"I know, I… just wish we were home again."

"We all do Edmund," Susan comforted her little brother. Edmund turned and stared at the zit reflected in the mirror.

"No cordial, no sweetwater and elm leaves, no Cair, no Aslan…"

The other three remained silent, remembering their loss solemnly. "Yes we lost a lot, but we can't forget what the Professor said."

Ed turned to Lucy, a small smile gracing her young face. "He said we would go back some day. Remember: _Once a king or queen of Narnia..._"

"…always a king or queen," all of them finished. The atmosphere in the bathroom became warm and comfortable, a distant roar echoing through their minds.

"Children! What are you doing? Breakfast is on the table and none of you are down here!" their mum called from downstairs.

"Coming Mu-" Edmund voice sky-rocketted again causing Edmund to groan. "This is going to get annoying," he muttered.

Peter laughed. "Since when doesn't it?"

"And just think, I'm almost about that age," Lucy giggled evilly. The three children moaned, not wanting to remember Lucy as a growing adolescent. Oh the joys of puberty. 


	2. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!!!!**

**Okay, I must ask. Should I continue with this story into Lucy through her puberty moments and just show growing up drabbles? Or should I keep this a funny one-shot, and let you wonder how Lucy and the other two were like? There is also the option that I just make three other oneshots pertaining to the separate Pevensies.**

**Need some feedback people. I'm not sure what to do.**


	3. IT's NOT THERE

****

**Puberty**

**A/N: And it is another puberty moment by yours truly! To my poor reviewers, I am so sorry I couldn't get Lucy right. I know all your reviews were nice… but every time I read her chapter… it just doesn't sound right.**

**So, hear me, hear me. Lend me thine ears! I need some ideas on how to change Lucy's moment of complete and totally teenage randomness. If you have any ideas, please send them through the normal channels via review. (:D)**

**But here is what you've been waiting for. So without further or do…**

**

* * *

**

He stared in the mirror for what seemed like ages, running his hand over his chin. If only there was a sign. Just a hint. Just a hair!

Peter groaned in frustration and continued to run his hand over his childlike smooth cheeks. Only a few hours ago they had been edged with a fine, golden scruff that all the ladies found "charming." It made him the adult he knew himself to be, but there was his 14 year-old face without a single sign of facial hair.

"Couldn't I have at least kept the beard!" he shouted at the mirror. He shouldn't have done it, because the words echoed through the massively large mansion like in an empty cave. But there was no time to think himself foolish. He had much more important things to worry about. Like why the whiskers he knew would come decided to hide again.

"C'mon, I know you're there," he said soothingly to his chin. "I remember. Just come on back out and—"

"Peter?"

Peter stood up straight and spun towards the lavatory door. Edmund yawned and leaned against the door post.

"Pete, it's six in the morning. What are you doing up so early?"

"Uh… nothing, Ed."

"Then why in the name of Aslan were you talking to your chin in the mirror?" the younger brother smirked.

Peter didn't answer, but his hand continued to rub his chin. "Am I the only one here who thinks it weird being a kid again?"

"No, we all feel that way. It's hard being a grown-up king one minute and then reverting back to a child the next. You just happened to revert to the wrong time."

"Wrong time?"

"Yeah, the growing up stage. I still have a year or two, but you… well, you got thrown right into the middle of it."

Peter moaned and leaned against the sink. "Oh… I'm doomed!"

Ed could just chuckled. He may have become a better brother over the years, but come on, what sibling in their right mind wouldn't laugh at their brother in such a situation. It was suspense and comedy rolled into one.

"You can laugh," Peter snapped.

"Yes I can. Look Pete, the beard will come back. Remember in Narnia?"

**_Off we go… into a wild, awesome flashback… running throooough, Aall of tiiiiime!... ... ... ... ... ... ..._**

_

* * *

_

"_WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO! I GOT IT! I GOT IT!"_

_Ed jumped from his sleep and ran out to the hall. Peter was yelling as though he had won a cricket tournament._

"_Pete? Peter? High King? What the bloody—" As he spoke, the younger of the two kings walked into High King Peter's chambers and to the arch of the washroom. Peter was dancing an interesting jig in his nightclothes, shouting for joy._

"_I've got it! I've GOT IT!"_

"_You've got what, Pete?" Ed shouted over him, though his tone was more harsh and irritated from being awoken so early… if you can call 11:00 early._

"_Look," said Peter, who pointed to his chin. Ed looked._

"_What? I don't see anything."_

"_Look harder."_

_Ed squinted. Still nothing._

"_Harder."_

_Edmund was an inch away from Peter's face and squinted as hard as he could. There, in the gleaming gold of the mid-morning, shining in all its lonesome glory was… a hair. _

"_A hair? That's what all the rackets about?"_

"_Not just a hair. My first one! At this rate, I'll be growing a beard in no time!" Peter replied pridefully._

"_All this for a lousy hair," Edmund muttered and yawned. "Well, if you'll excuse me your High Kingness, I really want to go back to sleep."_

"_You can't go to sleep now. It's almost noon and we have so much stuff to do."_

"_Like what? Show off your 'facial hair'?"_

"_No, but there's so many things we need to see to."_

"_The only thing that I need to see are the back of my eyelids. Night- or should I say morning, Peter."_

"_You're just irritable because I've got a beard and you don't."_

"_One hair doesn't make it a beard, Pete," Edmund said lazily as he headed out the door._

"_I bet you'll never grow one," Peter retorted. That made Edmund stop. Turning around, the younger cocked an eyebrow._

"_You bet?"_

"_Yes. I'll bet… I'll bet my sword Rhindon that you'll never grow a beard during our reign in Narnia."_

"_Come off it Peter, I can't take your sword."_

"_Who says you'll win?"_

"_We'll be kings until who-knows-when. I have a confident feeling that I'll win."_

"_You you'll agree?"_

"_It depends on what happens if I lose," said Edmund, always the diplomatic negotiator. _

"_You do my chores… for 3 years."_

"_3 years? Pete, are you stark raving mad?"_

"_Nope, just too happy to really care right now."_

"_Okay, so if I win, I get Rhindon. If I lose, I have to do your chores for three years," said Edmund, trying to clarify the stakes._

"_Agreed?" Peter stuck out his hand. Edmund looked at it deliberating, but shook it._

"_Agreed."_

****End Flashback****

"That reminds me, you never grew a beard while we were in Narnia," said Peter.

"So?"

"So, you shook hands and agreed that if you lost the bet, you would have to do my chores for three years."

"Not fair Peter. We made that bet when we were children—"

"Ah, but we are children once again. Here I'll make it easier on you. You'll only have to do my chores for three weeks instead of three years. Okay?"

"Three weeks. Understood. See you at breakfast, your baldness." Edmund yawned, turned around and went back to the bedroom that the two boys shared.

"I'll get it back," Peter called after his younger brother. "You'll see."

* * *

**'A few years later in the ****Last Battle'**

Peter and Edmund waited for the train to approach when Peter's hand instinctively flew to his chin to scratch the beard that wasn't there.

"You know Ed, I was just thinking about it… my beard never grew back."

* * *

**A/N: Well, how'd you like it? Go ahead and press the send review button. You know you want to.**

**This one was fun to write. If you all have any ideas for the new Lucy chapter and Susan's chapter, I am all ears. Farewell loyal readers.**


	4. I'LL GET IT

**A/N: I figured it out! I never liked the way Lucy's chapter came out because it just wasn't funny. So here is the new, and hopefully, last version of Lucy. I don't know what it is, but it's just easier to make fun of the boys than the girls (my apologies to boys everywhere.) Let's see if this works.**

Puberty  
Lucy

It was a quiet evening in the Pevensie house. Mum had gone shopping for their rations, Peter sat by the fire with a book, Edmund cooped himself up in the kitchen studying for when Christmas holidays would be over and they would all have to go back to school, and Susan well… Susan was being Susan and brushing her hair.

The only one missing was Lucy, that was until she came screaming down the stairs.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Peter jumped up and put his hand to where his sword would be, if it were there, Edmund came rushing into the family room sporting the same action and Susan… she dropped her brush and jumped out of her skin from shock.

"Lucy?"

Lucy stopped in the middle of the room and bounced in the air, over and over and over and over and over again.

Peter put his hands on his sister's shoulders to make her stop bouncing. When he saw the exceptionally large grin on Lucy's face, he relaxed a little (but only a little).

"Lucy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Everything is perfectly right!" When she saw the confused looks on each of her sibling's faces she stood up straight. "I grew! Exactly three inches!"

Susan rolled her eyes, Edmund and Peter breathed sighs of relief.

"We thought it was something serious," said Edmund.

"But it is serious. I'm growing taller!"

"Well, of course you're growing taller, silly. You're growing up," Susan said in that logical tone of hers.

"I know! But do you know what day it is?"

"Tuesday?" asked Peter.

"It's Tuesday, December 14, or on the Narnian calendar, Tuesday the 14th, the month of Swanwhite."

"And?" Edmund was known for his unmatched patience, but this queer mystery was starting to boil is cool head.

"Aand… on that exact day, 15 years ago, or a thousand, or, oh never mind, when we were in Narnia, I grew to this exact height on this exact day! I'm going to be as tall as I was in Narnia!"

Peter and Edmund exchanged amused glances while Susan huffed. "Really, even growing is connected to that little game?" she muttered under her breath.

"Well done Lu, you had us worried for a second," said Peter.

"Yes, but now that she's growing exactly like she did in Narnia, we'll never get any rest," said Edmund. He looked at Lucy. "How can you remember such little things like height?"

She shrugged. "While you guys worried about the big things, wars, visits of state, tributes, and such, someone had to look at the little things."

"Lucy you're a hero," cheered Peter, "but Ed's right, you were a… handful…"

"A handful? Whatever are you two talking about?"

**Entering flashback que… … … … … … … … … … … … NOW!**

_The throne room was particularly quiet that afternoon. Whatever citizens had grievances, they were already tended to and gone and so now all that was left was paperwork. Lots of paperwork._

_Edmund lifted his head through the weight of parchment idly resting on his head and looked around sleepily._

"_Have a nice nap, Ed?" asked Susan._

"_Yes I did, as a matter of fact."_

"_Oh please, no more facts or matters. I'm up to my crown in them," Peter groaned._

"_Where's Lucy? She can help with stuff like this?" asked Edmund._

"_She hasn't come down from her room? She even missed lunch, which isn't like her," said Susan, motherly worry weaved through her tone._

"_Well… let's go find her," said Edmund._

"_You two do that," answered Peter. "I'm afraid I'll have to stay here and try and plow through some of this. You know, when we were made kings and queens, I would've never thought we would have homework ever again."_

"_At least it counts for something," said Edmund before leaving, Susan following. On the way up to Lucy's chambers, Susan had taken the lead and was at Lucy's door before Edmund._

"_What's going on?"_

"_I don't know, she won't answer," Susan responded. Edmund walked forward and knocked on the oak door._

"_Lucy? Lu?"_

"_!"_

"_Lucy!" Susan screamed in horror. Edmund backed up and rammed into the door, making it fly open. _'Thank you, strength training.'

"_Lucy!" Both ran into the room and saw Lucy by a flat space of wall. She was trembling. Ed came up behind Lucy and Susan bent down to be eye-level with her. "Lucy dear, what's wrong."_

_Lucy didn't speak. She just pointed a trembling hand at the wall. Written on it were markings going upwards and dates._

"_I grew three more inches!" she said, excitement saturated her voice. She wasn't speaking because she was in trouble, but she was too excited to speak. Susan breathed a sigh of relief and Edmund groaned._

"_Really, Lu? You screamed because you grew two inches?"_

"_I'm growing! Maybe I'll even grow taller than you," she said pointedly at Edmund._

"_Dream on Lucy."_

"_Oh, don't start you two," said Susan. "Lucy, you missed lunch while measuring yourself and we're all up to our necks in paperwork. Come on and help."_

"_Alright!"_

_But she didn't help. She just kept chattering away about height and growth. Soon she was snacking in the kitchens and running all over the place with endless energy. _

_One morning she past Peter with and hi and a bye before running off to the gardens to cause mischief. Susan came up to Peter. "Pete, you've got to stop this. She running around like a wild child."_

"_What's wrong with being a little wild? Many of our friends are wild, by the Lion, Aslan's not even tame."_

"_You know what I mean," she said scornfully. "She's a queen. First the height, then the constant snacking, and now the endless energy. What's next? Jumping in the sea during a hurricane?"_

"_Susan, I think you're over-reacting."_

"_She's a handful Peter. We've got to do something."_

_But nothing could be done. Every day, Lucy chattered about how tall she would be and that she would soon be taller than Peter and Edmund and even Rumblebuffin._

"_And he said so too. He said he's never seen anyone sprout so quickly. Soon I won't be a handkerchief to him. I'll probably get as tall as his shoulders."_

"_I highly doubt that, Lucy. But you're a hero to have such an imagination," said Peter._

"_Well, maybe I won't get as tall as Giant Rumblebuffin. But maybe Pamona or Orchid or—"_

"_Lucy, you'll probably be just as tall as any other woman in the world." Lucy frowned. She had seen the women in Archenland and the islands, a lot of them were short._

"_But they're short!"_

"_Lucy," Susan admonished, "The ladies of the different courts are not short. They are average height. You're just too—"_

_Lucy smirked. "Too what?"_

"_Too…"_

"_Say it."_

"_Fine, you're too tall." Lucy beamed, pecked her older sister on the cheek and skipped off with a triumphant air. Edmund was stifling laughter at the door. Susan turned on him and glared._

"_What are you snickering about?"_

"_You have to admit, she got you."_

_Susan groaned in frustration and swept past her brother._

- End Flashback-

"And I _was_ taller than all of the other ladies. And as tall as Daisy at least," Lucy argued.

"But you'll never get as tall as me or Peter," Edmund teased.

"Just you wait, Ed. We're out of Narnia, so I could grow just as tall or taller than you."

Peter ruffled the top of Lucy's hair. "You keep thinking that, Lu. You keep thinking that."

When everyone left, Lucy went back to the wall and measured herself again. She looked at the beige surface and smirked at the pencil mark. A centimeter taller in only the minutes it took to talk.

_Oh yes, I'll be tall._

**It seems funnier and it is longer, but the content is for you to criticize. If you like the new Lucy, cool. If you have some better idea, I'm all ears.**


	5. THIS IS ME

**A/N: Here is the last installment of the Puberty saga. Finally Susan's piece is here and it's full of the worst thing that comes with puberty and growing up: Insecurity and Peer Pressure. This is actually a much more serious chapter than any of the others because I do believe that little things like this are what led to Susan's fall and disbelief in Narnia.**

Puberty  
Susan

Snow gently floated outside of the window, bringing a frosty trimming to the edges of the panes. The light from the outside's morning shone gently through into Susan's face. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was soft and steady; the perfect morning picture.

The Pevensies had just returned from school for the Christmas holiday and were welcomed home with hugs and kisses from their mother. Their father was still fighting overseas supposedly in the Italian area.

"Don't worry, your Father has written and he sends his best wishes and wants us to have a happy holiday," Mrs. Pevensie stated as they were seated together in the living room in front of the fireplace.

"He isn't going to be here for Christmas, is he?" asked Susan.

"No, unfortunately not dear," her mum answered and drew in her eldest daughter's head under her arm. Peter, being the eldest, wrapped his arm in comfort around the two ladies. Lucy laid her head in her mother's lap and Edmund leaned in between Peter and their mum. So they remained until late in the evening.

Susan had eventually found her way to her bed that night to discover solace in sleep. It was actually enjoyable… until a younger sister decided to jump on her. Eyes flashed open and body shot up.

"Lucy! What are you doing?"

"Waking you up silly. It's snowing!"

Susan turned to the window and smiled. "Hmm… so it is. Was it worth jumping on top of me for?"

"Um… yes."

Nodding, Susan kicked her legs over the side of the bed and moved them into her slippers. Lucy tumbled off of the bed with the grace of a monkey. Leaving the room, the younger of the sisters called, "See you at breakfast, Su!"

Susan rolled her eyes and quietly made her way to the restroom. She had always found it interesting to take in her appearance each morning, scrutinizing every detail. She had heard the comments around her when relatives go together. "She's the beauty of the family." "She looks just like her mother." "Beauty and brains, she'll be a charming young lady." When the war had started as well as being thirteen she never really thought about appearances. Even in Narnia she was never too interested in her appearance. Did she strive for perfection in looking presentable, of course, but never obsessed over it like some of the noble ladies had done in other courts.

For some reason that idea had changed over the school year. Maybe it was when her and her siblings had stumbled out of the wardrobe and she was immediately transformed from a graceful queen to a plain English girl? Or was it when an older group of girls suddenly took interest in her and became her friends?

"_Oh Susan, this would look so darling on you," said one of the girls holding up a blue dress covered in a neat floral pattern. Susan had been invited to a party that night at a local coffee house by her new friends. Of course it was a secret party and against the rules, and Susan started to have second thoughts about this._

"_I-I don't know if I should go."_

"_Of course you should go Su. You're so pretty and the guys will flock around you, the beasts."_

"_But it is against the rules and I do have an examination tomorrow morning."_

"_You'll be fine Susan. We won't stay too late and the professors never catch these flings."_

"_I heard some American soldiers may even come," giggled another._

"_American soldiers? Lisa, I'm only thirteen. This seems more of an adult party," begged Susan. Lisa, who was doing Susan's hair, stopped and turned Susan's head to face her._

"_Susan, you are with us now," she said firmly. "This is going to be the best night of your life. Don't worry about such little things. Now try on the dress."_

_Susan didn't argue anymore and tried on the dress; it fit like a tee. Her hair was brushed out into waves that flowed over her shoulders. That was when her "friends" brought out the big stuff._

"_Ooh, hand me the lipstick."_

"_I need some more eye shadow."_

"_My mascara is runny, can I use a different brush?"_

"_Make-up?" Susan asked. Her mother had told her that make-up was okay, but she was too young to wear it. _'Just be proud of what your face looks like now. Be confident in your natural beauty and when you are older, you can enhance it with a little bit of make-up.' _Her mothers words were lived out, even in Narnia. Queen Susan never had the use for such things. She was beautiful in the eyes of many men without the stuff on her face._

"_Of course make-up, silly. We want to look presentable, don't we?" Lisa scoffed and handed Susan a pencil of eyeliner._

"_I don't wear make-up." Lisa and the other girls froze and stared at the younger girl._

"_Don't wear make-up? Well then, we'll have to change that won't we?" one of them giggled._

"_I'm not supposed to. My mum—"_

"_Is your mum here right now?" another asked._

"_No but—"_

"_Here Susan, I'll help you," said Lisa. _

"_But—" but there were no arguments. Lisa took the pencil and quickly drew around Susan's eyes. Taking some lipstick, she smudged against Susan's lips and coated her eyes with shadow. With a light dusting of blush, Susan was finished and Lisa smiled._

"_You look lovely," she said, holding out the mirror. Taking it, Susan was about to snap at her friends, rebuking them for the unwanted help, but all thoughts left when she saw her reflection. _

"_I'm beautiful," she whispered, causing all of the girls in the room to laugh._

"_Of course you are. Now come on, let's finish up. We don't want to be too late."_

_The party was wonderful and everyone was so polite, especially the soldiers. Susan was the partner of many dances and, for the first time since she left Narnia, she felt confident and pretty._

Susan stared at the glass and frowned. Things had changed so much in school. She had status, looks, friends and callers all within the span of a semester.

"Susan?"

Susan turned and saw Edmund.

"Good morning, Ed," she smiled.

"Are you done in the bathroom?"

"No."

"Then why are you just looking at your face."

"I'm determining what to do with it," she answered curtly.

"What more can you do with your face. It _is_ your face."

"What's going on?" Peter walked up. Susan rolled her eyes. _This happens every time. When one of us wants privacy, the rest feel like _they_ need to intervene._

"Nothing, I'm just getting ready," said she.

"What, to brush your teeth?" her older brother asked.

"Is it of any importance to you what I'm doing in the bathroom? Close the door and let me be."

Peter and Edmund exchanged glances and looked back at their sister in concern. "Are you alright, Su?" Edmund asked.

"I'm fine," she answered shortly, trying to reign in her patience.

"Is everything alright?" Lucy asked. She had walked up the stairs and found a congregation in the restroom door. "Are we talking about Narnia this early?"

"No, Lucy. Your brothers won't leave me alone to get ready."

Lucy frowned at them . "What? We were just wondering if Susan was feeling fine because she was just staring at herself in the mirror," answered Ed. Lucy's eyes then moved to Susan.

"Why look in the mirror Su? Trying to find blemishes," Lucy teased, causing Edmund to blush.

"No. It's none of your business what I do in the sanctity of a water closet."

Peter snickered, earning a glare from his raven haired sister. Susan groaned and pulled a strand of her hair, a habit she picked up when she felt annoyed.

"I was just checking my appearance alright? Is that so bad?"

The other three exchanged looks and all had clear confusion writ on their faces. "No," Peter said hesitantly, "but, why?"

"Why what?"

"Why check your appearance. Everyone knows you look fine and you're not even dressed yet."

"It was a harmless act. Sometimes I—" Susan stopped and let the sentence drop. _Why should I tell them about _my_ problems? I can handle it._

"Sometimes you what?" asked Lucy. Susan sighed.

"Sometimes I don't feel all that pretty."

Lucy moved in to hug her sister, Susan allowed herself to fall in the eleven-year-old's grasp.

"But you _are_ pretty Su. You're a queen. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise," she said softly. Peter and Edmund moved in and formed a family hug in the restroom.

"And if anyone tells you otherwise, let us know," said Peter.

"Yeah, they'll have two perfectly ready kings there to defend their sister's honor," Edmund continued.

Susan smiled. "Thank you. Now, if you three will excuse me, I would like to get ready." The others nodded and filed out of the room. At the door, Lucy paused and turned back to her sister.

"You are Queen Susan the Gentle. Don't forget."

"I won't, Lucy."

Lucy beamed and went back down to breakfast. Susan smiled back, but quickly faded when her siblings were gone. Stealthily opening a drawer in the small table by the sink, Susan reached in and pulled out a black pencil.

"Just a little."


End file.
